36 The Macro-Lepidoptera of the
places, is here decidedly rare, generally occurring singly ;
this I have also found to be the case in Cambridgeshire.
The rarest insect included in my list is doubtless Xylomiges
conspicillaris. It has also been taken at Brentwood in this
county, and probably only wants looking for. But how ?
Its habits seem little known, most English specimens resulting
from dug pupae. Neuria Saponariae next attracts attention;
after that we meet with nothing of any particular interest
until we come to Agrotis ravida, which has occurred frequently,
but cannot be said to be common.
The genus Taeniocampa has seven representatives, T. rubri-
cosa and T. gracilis being both of rare occurrence in this
district. Orthosia ypsilon occurs now and then, and would
doubtless prove more abundant if worked for regularly among
willows.
I have succeeded in finding every species of Xanthia.
Xanthia gilvago and X. aurago are both of very limited
distribution in England; the former is, I fancy, more
generally distributed than is usually supposed; I have met
with it myself at many places in the eastern counties. It
may be obtained in the larval state by beating the flowers
and seeds of the wych-elm from the middle of April till the
beginning of June. X. aurago I took a single specimen of at
ivy-bloom in 1880. The remarks I have just made with
regard to distribution apply equally to Eremobia ochroleuca,
which I have noticed in many places in this part of England.
Tethea subtusa, a species I have never come across, is recorded
by Mr. Fitch. Euperia fulvago is known as an inhabitant of
the Maldon district from a single specimen taken by myself
at sugar on the top of Hazeleigh Hill,—a most exposed
situation,—although it is generally regarded as a wood-
insect. The pretty elm-feeding species of Cosmia are both
abundant, and Aplecta advena is far from rare at flowers.
The only rare Hadena met with is H. genista, which is
probably of common occurrence ; it is an insect not often
seen, except at rest on fences. Xylina semibrunnea occurs
sparingly at ivy-blossom. The genus Cucullia is only repre-
sented by the two common species : in fact, from this point